What it's like to live in Bristol
Bristol is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bristol deals with household incomes below the national average, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bristol compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bristol
Based on Bristol's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,684
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,680 a year
- 43% of Bristol renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,450
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 40% below US
$842/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $842 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $194,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $194,500 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
350 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1919/100k · Bristol Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 18% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 15% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (44 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bristol's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($842/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Bristol
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